APF Electronics  APF MP-1000
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APF MP-1000

The APF Microcomputer System, also known as M-1000 or MP-1000, is a second-generation 8-bit cartridge-based console released in 1978. Developed by Ed Smith, it comes with a built-in game, Rocket Patrol.

The machine offers graphics that were advanced for its time, 256x192 pixels in 8 colors. The MP-1000 was part of the APF Imagination Machine. This consisted of two parts: the MP-1000 and a docking-bay that included a full-sized typewriter style keyboard making it possible to learn to program and create games fo the machine.

Here is a list of 13 games that came out for the MP-1000:

  1. MG1001 - Built in: Rocket Patrol
  2. MG1002 - Catena
  3. MG1003 - Hangman, Tic Tac Toe, Doodle
  4. MG1004 - Bowling, Micro
  5. MG1005 - Brickdown, shooting gallery
  6. MG1006 - Baseball
  7. MG1007 - Blackjack
  8. MG1008 - BackGammon
  9. MG1009 - Casino I: Roulette, Keno, Slots
  10. MG1010 - UFO, Sea Monster, Break it down, Rebuild, Shoot
  11. MG1011 - Pinball, Dungeon hunt, Blockout
  12. MG1012 - Boxing
  13. MG1013 - Space Destroyers (Space Invanders)

APF MP-1000 Imagination Machine

APF MP-100 Games

Motorola 6800 CPU

The 6800 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Motorola in 1974. The processor was developed as part of the M6800 Microcomputer System that was announced in the same year.

The 6800 has a 16-bit address bus that can directly access 64KB of memory and an 8-bit bi-directional databus. The CPU has a total of 72 instructions using seven different addressing modes, resulting in 197 opcodes. The original 6800 used a clock frequency of up to 1 MHz, while later versions increased this limit to 2MHz.

The 6800 was used in various computer systems and point of sale terminals. It can also be found in older arcade systems and pinball machines. It was succeeded by the MC6802 which was released in 1977. This CPU had 128 bytes of RAM on board and an internal clock oscillator. The later produced Motorola 6809 was stil backwards compatible with the 6800.

Motorola MC6847 Video Display Generator

The MC6847 is a video display generator (VDG) first introduced by Motorola and used in the following machines (this is not a full list):

  • TRS-80 Color Computer
  • Dragon 32/64
  • Laser 200
  • TRS-80 MC-10/Matra Alice
  • NEC PC-6000 series
  • Acorn Atom
  • APF Imagination Machine

The VDG is a relatively simple display generator compared to other display chips of the time. It is capable of displaying alphanumeric text, semigraphics and raster graphics contained within a roughly square display matrix 256 pixels wide by 192 lines high.

The ROM includes a 5 x 7 pixel font, compatible with 6-bit ASCII. Effects such as inverse video or colored text (green on dark green; orange on dark orange) are possible.

The MC6847 is capable of displaying nine colors:

  • black
  • green
  • yellow
  • blue
  • red
  • buff (almost-but-not-quite white)
  • cyan
  • magenta
  • and orange
Two extra colors, dark green and dark orange, are only possible as backgrounds for alphanumeric text modes.

Technical Details
Released 1978 Brand APF Electronics Type APF Electronics TV Games Name APF MP-1000 CPU Class 6800 CPU Motorola 6800@0.895MHz Sound Chip none Sound One channel mono beeps Display Chip Motorola MC6847 Display 256x192 in 8 colors Best Color 8 colors Best Graphics 256x192 Sprites none Storage Cartridge games
Related Systems
 
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APF  MP-1000 (1978)
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World Wide Web Links
 
Wikipedia: Motorola 6800 CPU
The 6800 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Motorola in 1974.
 
WikiPedia: Motorola MC6847 Display Chip

The MC6847 is a Video Display Generator (VDG) first introduced by Motorola in 1978